【听英文对话做选择】一门语言的学习

Talk Show Host: Good evening and welcome to tonight's program. Our guest is the world-known Dr. Charles Adams, who has sparked a great deal of attention over the past several years for his research in the area of language learning. His new book, Learning a Language over Eggs and Toast, has been on the best seller list for the past six weeks. Welcome to our program.

Dr. Adams: Ah, it's a pleasure to be here.

 

Talk Show Host: Now, Dr. Adams. Tell us about the title of your book, Learning a Language over Eggs and Toast.

 

Dr. Adams: Well, one of the most important keys to learning another language is to establish a regular study program, like planning a few minutes every morning around breakfast time.

 

Talk Show Host: Now, sorry for saying this, but your ideas may sound a little simplistic to our viewers. I mean I took Spanish in high school for four years, and I didn't become a proficient¹ speaker of the language.

 

Dr. Adams: Well , I think there are many people that feel that way, and that's just it. I'm not implying that we can become fluent speakers in a matter of a few minutes here and there, but rather following a regular, consistent, and focused course of study can help us on the way to the promised land of language mastery, and remember there is a difference between native fluency² and proficiency³ in a language, and I am proposing the latter.

 

Talk Show Host: So what are some of the basic keys you are suggesting in the book?

 

Dr. Adams: Well, as I just mentioned, people need to plan out their study by setting realistic and attainable⁴ goals from the beginning. I mean, some people get caught up the craze of learning the language in 30 days, only to become disenchanted when they don't perform up to their expectations. And small steps, little by little, are the key. For example, planning to learn five new vocabulary words a day and to learn to use them actively⁵ is far better than learning 30 and forgetting them the next day.

 

Talk Show Host: Um-hum. Now you mentioned something about maximizing your learning potential by learning about your own individual learning styles. Can you elaborate on that?

 

Dr. Adams: Sure. People often have different ways of learning and approach learning tasks differently. Some people are visual learners who prefer to see models of the patterns they are expected to learn; others are auditory learners who favor hearing instructions, for example, over reading them. Now, our preferences are determined⁶ by many factors, for example, personality, culture, and past experience.

 

Talk Show Host: Well, Dr. Adams. What is your learning style?

 

Dr. Adams: Well, I'm a very tactile⁷ learner.

 

Talk Show Host: You mean one who learns through hands-on experience?

 

Dr. Adams: Exactly.

 

Talk Show Host: So, how does knowing your learning style benefit you?

 

Dr. Adams: Well, this might seem a little unusual, but moving around while trying to learn and memorize material helps me a great deal. While I cut up tomatoes and onions for my omlet in the morning, I might recite aloud vocabulary to the rhythm of the knife. But it is important to remember that often our learning styles are not singular in nature, but are often very multidimensional, and we tend to learn differently in different situations.

 

Talk Show Host: So what is my learning style?.

 

Dr. Adams: Well, you're going to have to read my book to find that out.

 

Talk Show Host: Okay. We have just found out from Dr. Charles Adams, author of the book, Learning Languages over Eggs and Toast. Thanks for joining us.

 

Dr. Adams: My pleasure.

 

1. From the content of the conversation, where does this interview take place?

A. at a public forum⁸

B. in an auditorium⁹

C. on TV

D. in a classroom

2. According to Dr. Adams, what is one of the most important points in learning a foreign language?

A. exposing oneself to the target culture

B. attending regularly a good language program

C. coming up with a study plan

D. developing good note-taking skills

 

3. Dr. Adams suggests that:

A. a realistic goal for learners is to reach a certain level of language proficiency, not native fluency.

B. students can achieve native-like pronunciation through focused study.

C. learners should interact with native speakers to gain greater fluency.

D. teachers need to help students foster a good self-esteem and confidence.

 

4. What kinds of activities would help Dr. Adams in his own study?

A. listening to information and then discussing it with others

B. reading books and magazines for news

C. being involved in group or class projects

D. keeping a journal and exchanging with a friend

 

5. Which point was NOT mentioned in the interview?

A. Many learners often favor a combination different learning styles.

B. Pronunciation practice is key to improved comprehensibility.

C. Setting reachable goals should be paramount¹⁰ in learning.

D. Learning is a step-by-step process.

 

正确答案：

1. on TV

2. coming up with a study plan

3. a realistic goal for learners is to reach a certain level of language proficiency, not native fluency.

4. being involved in group or class projects

5. Pronunciation practice is key to improved comprehensibility.

 

1 proficient   

adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家

参考例句：

• She is proficient at swimming.她精通游泳。
• I think I'm quite proficient in both written and spoken English.我认为我在英语读写方面相当熟练。

2 fluency   

n.流畅，雄辩，善辩

参考例句：

• More practice will make you speak with greater fluency.多练习就可以使你的口语更流利。
• Some young children achieve great fluency in their reading.一些孩子小小年纪阅读已经非常流畅。

3 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

4 attainable   

a.可达到的，可获得的

参考例句：

• They set the limits of performance attainable. 它们确定着可达到的运行限度。
• If objectives are to be meaningful to people, they must be clear, attainable, actionable, and verifiable. 如果目标对人们是具有意义的，则目标必须是清晰的，能达到的，可以行动的，以及可供检验的。

5 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 tactile   

adj.触觉的，有触觉的，能触知的

参考例句：

• Norris is an expert in the tactile and the tangible.诺里斯创作最精到之处便是，他描绘的人物使人看得见摸得着。
• Tactile communication uses touch rather than sight or hearing.触觉交流，是用触摸感觉，而不是用看或听来感觉。

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

10 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。